Malmström under the spotlight as hearings begin

The first EU Commissioner nominee for the period 2014-2019 to be interviewed by the European Parliament was Sweden's Cecilia Malmström on 29 September 2014.

Mrs Malmström was given the trade portfolio and was expected to face questions from the EP's Trade Committee on the way she would handle the free trade negotiations with the United States.

• Primary Source

ESO: Background information: European Commission 2014 - 2019 - Parliamentary Hearings, September - October 2014 http://www.europeansources.info/record/european-commission-2014-2019-parliamentary-hearings-september-october-2014-this-time-its-different-parliamentary-hearings-2014/

Reuters, 28.09.14: U.S. trade pact in spotlight as new EU Commission faces grilling http://uk.reuters.com/article/2014/09/28/uk-eu-commission-idUKKCN0HN0ZW20140928

The Local.se, 10.09.14: Malmström is Europe's new trade minister http://www.thelocal.se/20140910/malmstrm-named-european-trade-minister

ESO: Background information: From trade tariffs to trust – TTIP a year on http://www.europeansources.info/record/from-trade-tariffs-to-trust-ttip-a-year-on/

EurActiv, 30.09.14: Malmström plays transparency card, but gets timid applause http://www.euractiv.com/sections/eu-priorities-2020/eu-trade-candidate-plays-transparency-card-gets-timid-applause-308793

EUObserver, 29.09.14: Investor clauses could be left out of EU-US trade deal http://euobserver.com/news/125797

EUObserver, 29.09.14: Malmstrom rejects accusations of working with US to weaken data laws http://euobserver.com/justice/125798

European Parliament: Briefing: Cecilia Malmström http://www.europarl.europa.eu/EPRS/Commissioner_hearings/EPRS-Briefing-538930-Trade-FINAL.pdf

European Parliament: International Trade Committee: Hearing: Cecilia Malmström http://www.elections2014.eu/en/new-commission/hearing/20140917HEA64702

Blog: Open Europe, 2909.14: Malmström impresses in her hearing, but is she on the same page as Juncker on TTIP? http://openeuropeblog.blogspot.co.uk/2014/09/malmstrom-impresses-in-her-hearing-but.html

EUObserver, 01.10.14: Hearings blunder offers glimpse into Juncker's working methods http://euobserver.com/institutional/125820

Euronews, 29.09.14: MEPs quiz EU’s next trade czar ‘in waiting’ http://www.euronews.com/2014/09/29/meps-quiz-eu-s-next-trade-czar-in-waiting/

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